Automobile-lock.



G. KOCH.

AUTOMOBILE LOCK APPucATmN fluo Nov. x2. |911.

Patented May 28, 1918 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GOTTHABDT KOCH, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

AUTOMOBILE-LOCK.

Application led November 12, 1917.

T o all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that l, Go'rrHARo'r Koen, a subject of the Emperor ofi (ircrmany, resid ing at Chicago. in the county ol Coolr and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improwniunts in Automobile Locks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to automobile locks and has for its primary object the provision of an improved lock whereby the shi-fi lever controlling the transmission gearing in a motor car may be looked against movement, More particularly my invention relates to a look for that typo of automobile shift levers normally positioned. in iin middle oi the flooring 0il the aliionmliilu und vrinlprisiug a rod fixed cenirally in u ball, the leali bring mounted in a socket and prfwiding u uniA versal pivot for the rod, A further object of my invention is to provide nu improved form of such a lock wherein the oost oi' manufacture is reduced and the vous! rurtion sim lifed.

ith the above and other olijecis in view this invention consists substantially in the combination, arrangement` and construction of parts all as hereinafter described. shown in the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification and illustrate the preferred embodimen of my invention. and more partiruilarly sei forth in the subjoinod claims.

In the drawings-- Figure 1 is a. front elevation nf .my in vention showing at thel uppmoxtreeniiy` broken away, a fragment of the shift lever.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken substantially on line 2-2 of Fig. 1t

Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of a plug forming part of the invention.

Reference numeral 10 designates the shift lever of an automobile, the upper end there of being broken away in the drawings. The lever 10 is fixedly and centrally mounted in a ball 11 which is mounted for rotary movement in a. spherical bearing noi shown. Fastened in any suitable manner to the floor of an automobile is a floor socket l2 which is centrally pierced at its lower end as at 13 to permit the seating or removal of the ball 11. The upper end oi' the floor socket 12 is Vhollowed out to form a plug socket of larger diameter than the pierced hole 13, and at the bottom of this larger socket portion a number of serrations 14 are provided point- Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented May 28, 1918.

Serial No. 201.415.

in upwardly and forming in reality a plu ra ity of cams. Fitting into the upper end of the floor socket 12 is a 'nlug 15, thc lower end of which is formed with teeth 16 which 60 are complementary to the serrations 14. Between a stud 17 on the floor socket and a stud 18 on the inner surface of the plug 15 is tensed a spring 19 which tends to hold the tooth 16 fully seated upon the serrations 14; 65

in other words the spring 19 normally holds plug 15 fully seated in the bottom of the socket. As a means for rotating the plug 15 a handle 2l is screwed into it and extends lair-wally from the plug. By a counforclockwise movement of the handle 21 the plug may be made io rise upon the serraf tions ll. The upper end of plug 15 is cham 'icrvd on its outer end as at 22 and just bcionY ils upper end the plug is provided with a horizontally elongated latch notrh Spaeed somewhat above the floor socket 12 is a houd generally indicated at 24 and com prising complementary halves 25 and 2G which are secured together about the rod 10 80 haviugn` substantially spherical internal sun faire 21)', which. when the rod 10 is oscillated7 just' clears the chamfored edge of the plug. The hood 2li is externally screwn threaded as at 31A and carries a rap 32 internally Screw-threaded for engagement with the threads 31. lf desired the upper ends of the cap and hood may be likewise screwthreaded together as at A boss 34 is formed upon the cap 32 and extends substantially horizontally from the surface thereof. Hthin this boss is mounted any suitable form of cylindrical lock 35 pro vided at its inner end with a disk 3G earrying a latch cani 37 which protrudcs toward the exterior of the mechanism from the disk 3G. By insertion of a key in the hey-hole 3S the disk 3G and` Cain 37 may bc rotated. Slidably mounted in a horizontally disposed slot 39 in the cap 32 is a latehdl. To form the slot 39 complementary slots in the cap 110 and hood 25 are brought into alinelnent at the point where the cap becomes seated In order to pre 85 on the screw threads 3l of the hood. rl`he slot 39 thus formed is closed at its outer cnd by the metal forming the cup, while at its inner end it opone into the interior of the hood 25. The latch lll. is chamtered al' its inner` end, the latter protrudiner normally into the 'ulterior of the hood, a spring 4L' constantly pressing the latch inwardly. An upturned finger 43 is formed on the outer end of the latch and overlapb` the outer sur face of disk 36 and cam 3T, it heilig understood that at each of its endel the cam 37 has its face merged with the outer face ot' disk 36. By rotation of disk 36 and cam 37 the finger 43 is caused to ride outwardly upon the surface ot the cam, thus rctracting the latch 4l from. the interior of the hood. The hollow plug 15 is interior-ly flared at its upper end to permit the neeeesary oscillatory movements of rod lt), and when the parts are in the unlocked Yposilion (illustrated in Fig. 2) the hood and cap osoillute with the rod while floor eockctA l2 and plug 15 remain as Shown.

In the operation ot my inventionT and considering the parts as iositioncd in their unlocked relation according to Fig. "l, the operator, desiring to lock the lever 1t) against movement, grape handle Z1 and moves it in a counter-clockwise ilireetion--viewing the device from the top. The ping l5 rises upon the Serrations 14; but he'lore the lower ends of the teeth 16 are elevated to the top ot' Sel-ratione 14 latch 4l.r retracted during,r the riSe of the plug, Snaps into engagement with the latch notch itil. Because, ot the closely fitting telesetipic connection hetwccn the upper end of the plug and thi` hood ill and the lower end of the plug; and the floor socket 155 the rod 10 in now locked agrainet movement. it will he noted that the eprinlgr 19 instead et extending .'crtieally or horizontally is inclined at an angle ot' suhetantially 450 with respect to the vertical or the horizontal, So that it tends alway to move plug 15 both downwardly and in a clockwise direction ars viewed from. above. ln order to unlock the Shift lever l0 the operator inY Sorts a key in the lock PS5 and rotutcw` cani 37. This causes retraction ol' latch 4l lroni notch 22? permitting `epring lll to draw plug 15 into its lower position` as shown in Fig. 2, in which position the upper clmml'ercd t end 22 of the plug in sullicicntly depre--necd to permit the cape 2H to Swing above it. lt will he noted that, the cap i513 coter` the slotted ends of the Hcrewe` uhich hold the two halves of the hood logt-ther as well as that. of the screw 1li' which li,\c\` lhc hood upon the lever lll: and it will he l'urlhcr noted that hy reason olE the normal engagemcnt of latch 4l with that. parl of' dot :lll formed in the hood it is impoenildc. without use of a ley, to uuthrcad cap it l'rom hood .ll. (lbviouely floor Socket l2 muy lu fin-- tened to the deck of thc car body or to any suitable frame, not shown, in which the hall 'l1 is supported.

While l have illustrated and described the preferretfl eniloodiment of my invention it is obvious that one skilled in the art may make modifications` lhereot without departing from the spirit of the invention. l wish therefore not to be restricted to the precise embodiment shown except in so for as the same is limited in the appended claims.

V l claim:

1. 'lhe combination with an oscillatory shift: lever ot' a socket fixed with relation to the vt'ulerum for the, lever, a hollow hood fixed upon said lever in spaced relation toy thc socket and :t plug fitting Said socket-and movable into closely fitting relation with said hood. Said plug being ot? Sulticient length lo engage hoth the socket and the hood simultaneously.

if. l"hc combination with an oscillatory hift lever of' a socket fixed with relation to the t'ulcrlun l'or the lever, a hollow hood lixcd noon will lever in spared relation to thi` sot-tet, a plug fitting Said socket, and movable into closely tittilngr relation with said hood7 and means tor locking' the. plu, v to the hood, Iaid plugr being' ofE suflicient length to engage both the hood and the lQocket simultaneously.

Il. 'lhe combination with a shift lever ot a iQockct fixed with relation lo the tulcrum for said lever, Said socket being formed with upwardly extending' cams. a plug,r closely fittingr `aid socket and formed with came complementary to those upon said ydocket. :t hollow hood fixed upon the lever in `paced relation to said socket, thc upper end of said plug),r heinir formed to lit closely within the hood and mechanism f'or looking the plug in the hood. said plug hcintgr of such length that when fully cated in the socket it clears the hood and when locked in the hood it engages hoth the hood und Socket.

'l. 'lhe combination with a `Qhit't lever of :i ot-irrt fixed with relation to the fulcrum l'or `aid lever; upwardly extending;r serra tion lol-mcd at thc hottom of the, upwardly opening hollow portion of' said socket, a plug closely litting the sot-kel, and formed at its lower end with teeth complementary to said errntione. a tension Spring fixed at one end to the eochet and at itsay opposite cnd to the plug, n hood lixedly mounted on the lcrcr iu Iepaccd relation to lluyQocket and recessed at its lower end to fit closely :ihout the upper cnd of said plug` a handle l'or rotatingr the socket. and mechanism for lockingthe-plug! agili-ml niort-ment. when its upper end is: inserted-in the hood. said plug lit-ing;` ol' `milieient length to engage the ot-het and hood simultancolwly,

'lhe combination with :i universally pirotcd y hil't lever ol` :i socket Surrounding maus? the lever and fixed in relation. to the ulcrum for the lever, the open end of said Socket extending upwardly, a hollow fplug surrounding the Ilever and closely tt`ng the socket, a hood fixed upon the lever and having a downwardl opening recess formed to fit closely about t e upper end of said p1 a latch mounted in the hood and normal y protruding into said recess, means for ele vating the plug into en socket, said plug being ermed near its upper end with a latch notch positioned to receive said latch, and a key-operated lock for withdrawing the latch from Said notch; said plug being of such length that in lower position it clears the hood while in upper position it closely engages both the hood and the socket. i

6. The combination y with a pivotall mounted shift lever of a socket fixed withI relation to the fulcrum for said lever, a plug closely fitting said socket and movable longitudinally of the lever, a recessed hood xed upon the lever and adapted to lit closely aboutJ the upper end of said plug when the plug is moved outwardly of the socket, a cap screw-threaded into engagement with the hood, there being a horizontal slot formed in the hood and cap and opening into said recess, a latch notch in the plug positioned to aline with said slot during the elevated position of the plug, a latch slidably mounted in said slot, aspring normally holding the latch with its inner end agement with the protruding into the recess of the hood, and a keyperated cam for latch from said recess, said plu being of sulicient length to clear the hoo When depressed and to engage both socket and hood when in elevated position.

7. The combination With a pivotall mounted'shift lever of a socket fixed wit relation to the fulcrum for said lever, a plug closely fitting said socket and movable longitudinally of the lever, a recessed hood fixed upon the lever and ada ted to lit closely about the upper end o said plug when the plug is moved outwardly of the socket, a cap screw-threaded into engagement with the hood, there being a horizontal slot formed in the hood and cap and opening into said recess, a latch notch in the plug positioned to aline with said slot during the elevated position of the plug, a latch slidably mounted insaid slot, a spring normally holding the' latch with its lnner end rotruding intotlie recess of the hood, a Keyoperated earn for withdrawing the latch from said recess, said plug bein of suflicient length to clear the hood when epressed and to engage both socket and hood when in elevated position, and a cape formed about the 'lower rim of said hood to provide a cover for the plug in all positions of said lever.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

GOTTHARDT KOCH.

withdrawingV the 

